The present invention relates to milling apparatus for reducing the size of grain kernels and, more specifically, to such apparatus wherein grain is moved by an air stream created by rotation of a rotor having surfaces which impact with the grain to effect the desired size reduction.
Grain has traditionally been ground by rolling, hammer and grist mills. The prior art also includes means for breaking grain kernels by impact with a stationary or moving surface. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 2,512,523 discloses an impeller-type mill wherein corn kernels are broken to separate the oil-carrying germ by projecting the kernels with a vane impeller against the outer surface of a rotating wheel or drum. Other patents directed to comminuting or breaking materials other than grain by impact with a surface or object are U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,976,717, 3,995,784, 4,133,487 and 4,575,013.
It is a principal object of the present invention to provide milling apparatus for reducing the size of grain which operates on far less power than that required by a conventional rolling mill of comparable capacity.
Another object is to provide grain milling apparatus which is of small size relative to its capacity, requiring only a fraction of the space normally occupied by a rolling mill capable of processing grain at the same rate.
A further object is to provide novel grain milling apparatus having the foregoing advantages of low power and small space requirements relative to its capacity, yet versatile in operation, being capable of grinding virtually any type of material normally encountered in milling operations.
Still another object is to provide a novel form of grain milling apparatus which is relatively simple in construction and extremely durable in operation, often requiring no parts replacements for several years of continuous operation.
Other objects will in part by obvious and will in part appear hereinafter.